Roundtable on Food Waste Projects: Building Finnish Collaboration

On September 29th, we had the opportunity to participate in the Roundtable on Food Waste Projects, organized by SAMK (Ce4Re) and SeAMK (HävikkiHUB).

Events like this are always inspiring — they offer a chance to see who is working on what, learn about the research questions being explored at the national level, and connect both with new faces and long-time collaboration partners. These conversations help strengthen Finland’s growing community dedicated to reducing food waste.

Visualizing Progress and Challenges

One of the highlights of the event was exploring a visualize timeline of previous and ongoing projects addressing food waste. Seeing these initiatives side by side offered a an overview of how the field has evolved, the investments made and what still needs attention. The upcoming roadmap will undoubtedly be an useful tool for guiding future work.

It was also surprising and thought-provoking to hear about the new challenges Finnish schools are currently facing regarding food waste. These insights remind us how dynamic and complex the issue remains, requiring both systemic and local perspectives.

The presentations were truly inspiring and refreshing . For example, in the new project of Nahistuneet naatit art is contributing to food waste research. We also discovered the community of Kurikka, which is actively working to address food waste, and listening to their perspectives was eye-opening.

Sharing Experiences from Dining Flow

At our discussion table, I had the opportunity to share some of our experiences from the Dining Flow project — particularly at the conceptual level. Conversations like these are invaluable: they help us to reflect on our own approaches and frame familiar problems in new and more integrated ways.

During the event, I also mentioned our upcoming final Dining Flow event, and I truly hope many of the partners from the roundtable will join us. Collaboration is key, as tackling the topic of food waste effectively requires all of us working together, combining data, ideas, and practical experience.

Looking Ahead

The roundtable once again highlighted how much collective effort and creativity is already happening across Finland. It’s encouraging to see so many institutions, researchers, and practitioners committed to a shared goal: creating a more sustainable and responsible food system.

Together, we’re not just reducing waste,  we’re reshaping how we understand and value food.

Note: All photos in this post were taken by SAMK.